Djibouti: A 50 franc banknote for the Côte Française des Somalis (French Somali Coast), issued in 1952, 25 years before independence (obverse)

The obverse shows an Indian Ocean dhow surrounded by Arabesques with 'Fifty Francs' in Arabic and French. To the left the name 'Djibouti' is printed in Arabic and Ethiopian scripts for the Somali Issa and Ethiopian Afar inhabitants.

Djibouti is a tiny country on the east coast of Africa bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is located opposite the gulf from Aden in Yemen, and together they form the gateway to the Red Sea. As such, Djibouti was for centuries a major trading port.

The less than one million population is composed mostly of two ethnicities: Somalis and Afars. Although Arabic and French are the country's official languages, Somali and Afar are widely spoken. Some 96% of the people are Sunni Muslim. Both males and females are traditionally circumcized in Djibouti.

In the 19th century, Djibouti was known as French Somaliland as it was acquired by France from Somali sultans. In 1958, on the eve of neighboring Somalia's independence in 1960, a referendum was held in Djibouti to decide whether or not to join the Somali Republic or to remain with France. The referendum turned out in favour of a continued association with France. Djibouti finally achieved independence on 27 June 1977.

Since independence, Djibouti has remained close to France, though it is also a member of the Arab League and the African Union.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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